Helleborus plant named ‘HGC Josef Lemper’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Helleborus  plant named ‘HGC Josef Lemper’, characterized by its upright plant habit; dark green-colored leaves; large white-colored flowers; and relatively early flowering.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Helleborus niger cultivarHGC Josef Lemper.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofHelleborus plant, botanically known as Helleborus niger, and hereinafterreferred to by the cultivar name HGC Josef Lemper.

The new Helleborus is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Glandorf, Germany. The objective of the breedingprogram was to create new Helleborus cultivars with a good plant habit,that flower for a long period of time, and have attractive flowercoloration.

The new Helleborus originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in November, 1997 in Glandorf, Germany of an unnamed seedlingof Helleborus niger, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent withan unnamed seedling of Helleborus niger, not patented, as the male, orpollen, parent. The new Helleborus was discovered and selected by theInventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled environment in Glandorf, Germany.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by divisions at Glandorf,Germany since March, 2000, has shown that the unique features of thisnew Helleborus are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar HGC Josef Lemper have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light level without,however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘HGC Josef Lemper’. Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘HGC Josef Lemper’ as a newand distinct cultivar of Helleborus:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.    -   2. Dark green-colored leaves.    -   3. Large white-colored flowers.    -   4. Relatively early flowering.

Plants of the new Helleborus flower about one month earlier than plantsof the female parent. Compared to plants of the male parent, plants ofthe new Helleborus have larger flowers and flowered about one monthlater.

Plants of the new Helleborus can be compared to the Helleborus nigercultivar HGC Jericho, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser.No. 10/878,420. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Glandorf,Germany, plants of the new Helleborus differed from plants of thecultivar HGC Jericho in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Helleborus were taller than plants of the        cultivar HGC Jericho.    -   2. Plants of the new Helleborus had longer leaf petioles than        plants of the cultivar HGC Jericho.    -   3. Plants of the new Helleborus had larger flowers than plants        of the cultivar HGC Jericho.    -   4. Flowers of plants of the new Helleborus had fewer sepals than        flowers of plants of the cultivar HGC Jericho.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Helleborus.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘HGC Josef Lemper’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of atypical developing flower of ‘HGC Josef Lemper’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurementsdescribe plants grown in Glandorf, Germany, in a glass-coveredgreenhouse and under commercial production practices during the winter.Plants were grown in 15-cm containers and were about six months old whenthe photographs and description were taken. During the production of theplants, day temperatures were about 18° C. and night temperatures wereabout 14° C. In the following description, color references are made toThe Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Helleborus niger cultivar HGC Josef    Lemper.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Unnamed seedling of Helleborus niger, not            patented.        -   Male parent.—Unnamed seedling of Helleborus niger, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By divisions.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 40 days at 12° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted plant, winter.—About six months at            12 to 15° C.        -   Root description.—About 3 to 15 thick fleshy roots; not            branching; white to brown in color.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form/habit.—Upright plant habit; moderately vigorous            growth habit. Leaves basal. Single flower form. Freely            flowering habit.        -   Plant height.—About 27 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 33 cm.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Basal; palmately compound            with six to nine leaflets per leaf. Leaflet length: About            4.5 to 8 cm. Leaflet width: About 2.5 to 3 cm. Leaflet            shape: Lanceolate; pedate. Leaflet apex: Broadly acuminate.            Leaflet base: Acute. Leaflet margin: Serrate. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Venation pattern:            Reticulate. Color: Developing leaflets, upper surface: 137A.            Developing leaflets, lower surface: Closest to 147B. Fully            expanded leaflets, upper surface: 137A. Fully expanded            leaflets, lower surface: Closest to 147B. Venation, upper            surface: 146C. Venation, lower surface: 146D. Petiole:            Length: About 8 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower            surfaces: 145B slightly overlain with 175A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type/habit.—Single rounded flowers arranged singly on            upright peduncles; flowers face upright to outwardly; petals            inconspicuous. Freely flowering habit with about 15 flowers            developing per plant at one time.        -   Fragrance.—Very slightly fragrant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering; intermittent            flowering from October to February in Glandorf, Germany.            Flowers persistent.        -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about ten days on the            plant.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 cm.            Shape: Ovoid. Color: 155A.        -   Flowers.—Diameter: About 9.5 cm. Depth: About 1.5 cm.        -   Petals.—Size: Minute, obscured by reproductive organs;            forming inconspicuous nectaries.        -   Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement per flower: Typically five in a            single whorl. Length: About 4.5 cm. Width: About 4 cm.            Shape: Broadly ovate. Apex: Rounded. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny.            Color: Developing sepals, upper and lower surfaces: More            white than 155D; towards the base, 144B. Fully expanded            sepals, upper and lower surfaces: More white than 155D;            towards the base, 144B. Color becoming closer to 144A with            development.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 15 to 25 cm. Diameter: About 4 to            7 mm. Orientation: Upright. Strength: Strong. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: 145B with spots, 183A.        -   Pedicels.—Not observed.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower:            About 100. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length: About 2 mm.            Anther color: 153D. Pollen amount: None observed. Pistils:            Quantity per flower: About nine. Pistil length: About            1.5 cm. Stigma shape: Tuberculate. Stigma color: 145C. Style            length: About 9 mm. Style color: 145C. Ovary color: 145B to            145C.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Helleborus have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Helleborus.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Helleborus have been    observed to tolerate temperatures from −15 to 36° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Helleborus plant named ‘HGC JosefLemper’, as illustrated and described.